DNC pulls healthcare ad after Dole objects

The Democratic National Committee is canceling a television ad touting GOP support for healthcare reform after protests from one of the Republicans mentioned, former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole.

The ad quotes a series of Republicans—including California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and former HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson—saying the healthcare system needs to be reformed.

Dole is quoted saying: "I want this to pass. ... We've got to do something."

The ad then accuses current GOP congressional leaders as "siding with the insurance companies" to fight healthcare reform.

Dole told ABC News on Sunday that he objected to the ad's criticism of the current Republican leadership.

"I just didn't think it was fair, when I've tried to be helpful in encouraging a bipartisan solution, for the DNC to run an ad that I interpreted and I know others did as a backhanded comment about Republicans," Dole said.

The former Kansas senator told ABC that he complained about the ad to White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, who told the DNC to kill the ad.

A DNC spokesman said Sunday: "We have great respect for Sen. Dole and his commitment to reform. When Sen. Dole's concerns were communicated to us, we immediately agreed to pull the ad."

President Barack Obama pointed Saturday to the support of Dole and other Republicans for an overhaul of the healthcare system. Obama has made the issue his top domestic priority, staking his presidency on pushing through the sweeping makeover.

While Republicans in Congress have been remained essentially unanimous in their opposition to his proposals, GOP luminaries such as Dole, Schwarzenegger and Frist have recently come out in favor of overhauling healthcare, even though they differ on some specifics.

"These distinguished leaders understand that health insurance reform isn't a Democratic issue or a Republican issue, but an American issue that demands a solution," Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet video address, calling it an "unprecedented consensus."

On Sunday, Dole said: "I still believe a compromise is there. No one I know is flatly against healthcare reform."

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